This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-371897, filed on Dec. 6, 2000; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to, for example, a developer supply device for loading a developer supply container for storing a developer for supply in the main unit of an image forming device and supplying the developer to a developing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming device such as a copying machine, facsimile, or printer has a developing device and toner as a developer to be supplied to the developing device is an important component for enhancing the image quality. Each manufacturer supplies toner most suited to the design specification of his own device to users as its own product (hereinafter, referred to as a regular product).
On the other hand, in recent years, toner satisfying the lowest limit specification which can be used commonly by image forming devices of a plurality of manufacturers is in circulation.
However, the aforementioned toner satisfying the lowest limit specification (hereinafter, referred to as non-regular toner) is generally inferior in image quality and moreover adversely affects the photosensitive drum which is an image carrying member and the developing device and may impair the reliability of the device.
Toner is generally stored in containers and supplied to users. However, containers have been conventionally improved for the purpose of enhancing the operability of users, though little improvement has been made for recommendation of use of a regular product of toner.
An object of the present invention is to provide a developer supply device capable of performing a supply operation of a developer only when a supply container storing a regular product of developer is loaded and furthermore a developer supply device capable of improving the detection precision on whether the loaded supply container stores a regular product of developer or not.
According to the embodiment of the present invention, a developer supply device is provided, the developer supply device comprises: a loading unit configured to load a supply container containing a developer for supply; a detection mechanism configured to detect whether there is a projection to display that the developer is a regular product on an outer peripheral surface of the supply container loaded in the loading unit or not; and a driving mechanism configured to rotate the loaded supply container and supply the developer to a device to be supplied on the basis of detection of the projection by the detection mechanism; wherein the detection mechanism including: a detecting element to detect existence of the projection by making contact with the projection of the rotating developer supply container; a contactor to make contact with the outer peripheral surface of the supply container; a mounting member to mount the contactor and the detecting element; and a pressing member to elastically press the mounting member to allow the contactor to elastically make contact with the outer peripheral surface of the developer supply container, and form a fixed interval between the outer peripheral surface of the developer supply container and the detecting element.